emu
First piece published in the school’s newspaper
Posts: 73
|
Post by emu on Mar 30, 2008 0:53:22 GMT -5
A bit of discussion on this in the Other Boleyn Girl thread on the general board.
ANyone else here much of a historical fiction reader?
What kinds of things do you like to read?
In reading historical fiction, is accuracy important to you at all?
If so, do you prefer to read non-fiction accounts of the same times/events?
It is a genre that appeals to me but I haven't read a huge amount so any recommendations most welcome. Some things I have enjoyed in the past include Marion Zimmer Bradley's Avalon books, Anita Diamant's The REd TEnt and more recently Posie Graeme-Evans The Innocent (this is really a bit of a bodice ripper but quite enjoyed it).
|
|
zeldafitzgerald
Collection of short stories bought by Random House
ancora imparo
Posts: 1,948
|
Post by zeldafitzgerald on Mar 30, 2008 8:21:58 GMT -5
I do enjoy historical fiction. I don't always read a lot of it, but what I do read I usually love. Accuracy is important to me, but since I usually wouldn't be able to tell if it was accurate or not (since I wasn't there) I usually relay on critic's responses to the work to inform me on how historically accurate it is. I would consider reading something that is said to be not that historically accurate if many trusted sources say it's a good fiction read despite that.
I prefer reading fiction novels that are historically accurate, rather than non-fiction accounts. I love the idea of Capote's In Cold Blood as a non-fiction novel, though I'm terrified to read it because I think I'll never be able to sleep again.
Some of my favorite historical fiction novels are: -The Book Thief by Markus Zusak -March by Geraldine Brooks -Time and Again by Jack Finney (I believe it was set in the present day when he wrote it in 1970, but they time travel to 1882 New York City, and it's very accurate and fascinating.) -The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon -Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See -Peony in Love by Lisa See -The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood
I also like modern day memoirs that are focused around the author's childhood, and therefor give a lot of firsthand insight into the time period. One of my favorite memoirs is The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson. Another great example is A Girl Named Zippy by Haven Kimmel. I'm also looking forward to reading "Home: A Memoir of My Early Years" by Julie Andrews, her account of her childhood in England.
|
|
Isa
Administrator
Posts: 6,995
|
Post by Isa on Mar 30, 2008 16:05:17 GMT -5
I haven't read a whole lot of historical fiction. It's not that I don't like it, I just haven't come across that many historical novels. And yes, accuracy is very important for me, especially if it happens to be a period I'm very familiar with, like the 18th or 19th century. I understand that it's fiction, but if it feels like the author just couldn't take the trouble to do some research on the period, then it bothers me. One historical novel I really enjoyed lately was "Water for Elephants", and one of the reasons why I enjoyed it so much was because the author was very successful at bringing back to life this particular period.
|
|
|
Post by swissmiss on Mar 30, 2008 17:35:58 GMT -5
I really like historical fiction, though I never can find ones that look especially good. Ones I liked were The Book Thief, Water for Elephants, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay, Suite Francaise, and The Other Boleyn Girl.
|
|
|
Post by Dominique on Mar 30, 2008 19:38:27 GMT -5
I really enjoy it, but I haven't read that much of it. I've enjoyed: -The Other Boleyn Girl -The Book Thief -People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks -The Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
|
|
lindsay
Collection of short stories published by an independent editor
"I think we ought to read only the kind of books that wound and stab us." - Franz Kafka
Posts: 741
|
Post by lindsay on Mar 31, 2008 12:29:01 GMT -5
I honestly don't mind if historical fiction is 100% accurate however it's nice to see that at least some research has gone into the writing.
|
|
|
Post by Dominique on Apr 1, 2008 3:09:10 GMT -5
That's true, I like it when they base it on known facts and then make the rest up It's also good when they do a note at the end letting you know what's real and what they've embellished.
|
|
lindsay
Collection of short stories published by an independent editor
"I think we ought to read only the kind of books that wound and stab us." - Franz Kafka
Posts: 741
|
Post by lindsay on Apr 2, 2008 12:54:10 GMT -5
'Cause you just know that there are people out there who are going to think those novels are completely true. It's called critical thinking people ! .
|
|
oureternity
Collection of short stories bought by Random House
bam.
Posts: 1,568
|
Post by oureternity on Apr 2, 2008 13:27:09 GMT -5
It somewhat reminds me of the Da Vinci Code, haha, I also watched this thing on TV where they said it's a load of crap since everyone actually believed all the details there to be true..
|
|
Isa
Administrator
Posts: 6,995
|
Post by Isa on Apr 2, 2008 16:31:17 GMT -5
I said before that accuracy is important for me, but I forgot to mention that I really don't mind when they take liberties and try to imagine what someone's life might have been. Can't seem to think of a novel right now, but for example, I like what they did with the movie "Becoming Jane". No one knows for sure what happened between Jane Austen and Tom Lefroy, but I really enjoyed the "fiction" aspect of the story, especially because the period itself was very well represented and the whole thing was believable.
|
|